I liked to think of myself as a fairly intuitive person. I could usually sense when something was off about a situation, or when someone was hiding something from me. Rarely did something catch me so off guard that I hadn't even had the slightest clue it was coming. But as I stood in front of Alexis with my jaw dropped, her last two words echoing through the silent room, I was completely shocked. How could I have not even seen any of this... how had I missed something this huge? I hadn't the slightest clue that her and Niall were ever... anything, let alone that they had gotten so intimate.
It was probably because I was so wrapped up with the swirling drama I always found myself in. I hadn't even taken the time to notice that something was up with Alexis.
"Niall..." I shook my head as I finally let the long breath I'd been holding out. "Niall's baby? What... how? When? Oh my god... Just... oh my god, please... explain." I sputtered as I began to pace back and forth in front of her.
She gave me a warning look, her hands on her hips.
"I'm sorry," I muttered as I stopped in place. "When did you and Niall happen?" I asked more calmly, finally letting the information settle over me and adjusting.
Alexis let out a long sigh. She was still clutching the pink stick, and her fingers began to play with it as she stared down at it with big, sad eyes. "Um, remember that time that we all went swimming? It was like...like a month ago or something. Chase and I weren't even actually together yet. You were off with Harry and Louis and Niall were paying me all this attention... It was before we were friends, I guess. And I could see how jealous it was making you. I guess I even thought that maybe Louis actually liked me. But as soon as you left he pretty much dissed me. Which really hurt, knowing he was using me to make you jealous. Niall was so... Niall, you know? He was sweet and flirty and flattering. So we ended up hooking up. And that's... that. Now I'm fucking pregnant."
I listened, remaining quiet. I had to clamp down on my tongue a few times to stop from interrupting, but I managed not too. Once I was certain she wasn't going to continue, I opened my mouth to begin. "So you guys were one time thing, then? After you and Chase got together, it never happened again?"
She winced. "We kissed... just once. He kissed me and I told him that we couldn't do it again. I said that I really liked Chase and he got mad and he's been like, avoiding me ever since." Her voice was shaky and I could see that tears were starting to pool behind her lids. "And now... he's going to even angrier now that he knows." She covered her face with her hands and let out a loud sob into them, her upper body trembling with it.
I stepped closer and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into me. "Hey, it's going to be okay, Lex," I murmured softly as I rubbed reassuring circles unto her back. She began to shake less but her crying never stopped. "Hey," I urged as I tried to peel her hands away from her face. "Alexis, it's going to be okay," I repeated more forcefully.
She looked up at me through wet eyelashes and then snorted. "How will it be okay? I'm twenty years old with no real job, no money. I'm pregnant with a guy who is not my boyfriend... Chase is going to hate me when he finds out!"
"He's not going to hate you. It was before you guys were dating."
She rolled her eyes. "He's going to break up with me."
I didn't say anything. That was possible.
"God... this is so fucked up. I can't do this Stella." Her words caused a whole new round of sobs and I led her over to the bench and made her sit down.
